This is an exciting role for an experienced planning analyst to join our Retail Property team. As the owner of a group of Retail Regions you will be responsible for implementing the Property Strategy for that area, including progressing actions for existing stores and developing business cases for new space. Working closely with the regional retail teams, visiting stores and assessing new opportunities, ensuring that you have a detailed knowledge of the market and understand how to deliver on the M&S priorities will be a key part of your role.

Purpose

Through data focused analysis you will be expected to provide insight into the development of the UK store estate strategy and deliver the change required by:

Shaping, influencing and developing the UK store estate strategy by providing analysis based insight from multiple data sources in order to improve forecast accuracy and wider decision making

Owning specific regions of the UK and delivering the estate strategy in those markets through location planning analysis for existing stores and new opportunities

Working with specialist colleagues and collaborators across Retail and Property to formulate the estate strategy and to deliver specific store projects

Working with external companies and agencies to provide insight into the strategy, develop new approaches and progress the objectives of the group

Acting as a subject matter expert for the wider business and being available to provide advice, insight and information on property related matters as required

Undertake standalone insight projects that help to provide direction and understanding of priority questions, relating to the estate strategy, store performance, competitor activity, customer behaviour, market conditions and other areas of interest, such as PIRs.

Key Accountabilities

You will have responsibility for a specific part of the UK and will be expected to develop and an in-depth knowledge of the retail markets M&S operate in, including understanding M&S store performance, competition activity, property developments and changing customers behaviours.

Your role will include assessing new store opportunities, making recommendations for existing estate actions and undertaking analysis projects. You will be expected to work collaboratively with internal colleagues, manage the output of external third parties and explain and present findings at Director level.

Leads the development of the store estate strategy for a specific region of the UK. Is the primary source of insight for this strategy and acts as the business subject matter expert.

Uses available data to drive insight analytics to help shape this strategy and produce recommendations.

Develops specific business cases for actions on their regions, including new store openings, extensions, relocations, closures, downsizes and where to re-balance footage.

Completes standalone analysis projects with the objective of answering specific property related questions that help to formulate the overall estate strategy.

Develops close partnership with the Retail Regional Managers, ensuring a collaborative approach, sharing of knowledge and insight, regular reviews of their stores and frequent joint store/site visits.

Works closely with other key collaborators in the Property team and elsewhere in the wider business, including; Property Acquisition Surveyors, Property Programme Office, Property Finance, Property Asset Management team, Space Planning team, the BU Customer Insight teams and Corporate Comms.

Presents business cases and outcomes of analytics projects to senior collaborators, making recommendations where required.

Is active in developing the relationship with key external data and service providers.

Contributes to debates on opportunities to drive improved insight through better digital solutions, ensuring that improvements and innovations in location planning approaches are introduced to M&S ways of working where appropriate.

Has a wide understanding and interest in UK retail market trends and is able to interpret these in relation to M&S.

Supports team in dealing with challenging situations, minimizing stress and finding solutions together

Seeks the best solution for M&S by proactively collaborating with colleagues from across the business

Helps teams understand information and business messages by actively seeking out opinions and asking questions

Uses a combination of channels and technology to communicate, ensuring timely, clear and open communication with colleagues

Encourages colleagues to ask questions, challenge, try new things and learn from mistakes

Uses customer feedback and market trends to guide teams work

Takes ownership and accountability for the success of their team

Focused on delivering results that matter to M&S and prioritises to complete things on time

Technical Skills/ Experience

Previous experience of a location planning or market development role preferable but not essential.

Evidence of analytical skills, ability to demonstrate previous experience of completing insight projects by utilising large data sets.

Technical skills - ideally including knowledge of gravity models, predictive sales forecasting, use of GIS software, intermediate to advanced Excel ability. Previous use of other analytical software (Power BI, Python, Spotfire etc) is an advantage but not essential.

Basic understanding of financial models – discounted cashflow analysis, NPV, IRR, payback etc.

Knowledge of writing business cases.

Good communications skills, outgoing, evidence of ability to build stakeholder relationships.

Strong presentation skills, comfortable explaining complicated analysis to various stakeholders, including senior management.

Keen to understand management of third party relationships.

Comfortable working independently and on own initiative, managing competing priorities, and creating and developing ideas for analytical projects.

Driving licence.

please note that this role supports our central function and will require flexibility to travel and stay away from home 3/4 nights per month